LOCKDOWN UNDER: UWIAN NA TALAGA

The pandemic's global, but every Foreign Service Post has its own unique set of challenges and tasks in front of it. In Sydney, what has us out of our houses and into the field is the safe transporting back home of hundreds of tourists, students and other temporary visitors, as well as the securing and repatriating of a LOT of ship crew members -- including from one particularly infamous cruise ship.

Hard work, but happy and honored to have helped.

(pero hindi raw ako puwedeng tawagin frontliner kasi lagi akong nakatalikod)

  

LOCKDOWN UNDER: UWIAN NA

 Ok, the Sydney shutdown got real...

...although the closures are not quite as total as other cities/countries, and there's some leeway for certain public establishments - such as Consulates - to stay open if they can/want to...

     

...which left us with the fluid, judgment call-type situation of finding the right balance between personal health and safety on the one hand and service continuity and accessibility on the other. We have tried/are trying things like rotating work schedules, online/mail transactions, appointment systems, walk-in restrictions etc. to relative success, but can't feel 100% certain we've gone too far/far enough.  Maybe there'll be some sign...     

ohhhhh-kaaaaaaaay and the Consulate happens to be located at the base of a central Sydney hotel building but there are like so many others in the city and what are the odds ours will be chosen and quarantine buses and ambulances will start showing up in droves right outside our office window....?  

Right. Suspension of In-Person Services and Work-From-Home it is then.

Check in on us soon.